Jack



Oct. 18, 1932.

G. E. WEAVER ET AL JACK Filed March'26 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 1932- G. E. wEAvEl ET AL 1,333,157

JACK

Filed March 26, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 &

Patented Oct. 18, 1932 UNITED STATES OFFICE GAILARD E. WEAVER ANB ALBERT VET'IE-L, OF SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORS TO WEAVER MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS JACK Application filed March 29, 1928. Serial No. 264,910.

Our invention relates to jacks, such as are commonly used in connection with automobiles, trucks and the like, and the improvements in the structure are incorporated in several of the cooperating elements entering into the complete appliance and more particularly the means for raising and lowering the load engaging member and for counterbalancing the latter.

To permit those acquainted with this art to have a full understanding of the invention, a present preferred embodiment of the same has been illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in the several news of which the same reference characters have been used to desigate like parts.

In these drawings:

Figure 1 is a broken plan View of the newjack;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section on line 2-2 of Figure 1 showing the positions of the coacting elements during the raising or liftin of the load;

'35 Various rods and shafts hereinafter specified and also by a cross-bolt 13 and its spacing sleeve 14 between such side frame members, each of the latter having a flat foot portion 15 adapted to rest on the ground 'or floor.

. At their front ends, these two elements 11 and 12 have aligned bearings 16, 16 accommodating an axle 17 supplied with a spacing sleeve 18 between the bearings and equipped outside of or beyond the latter with suitable carrying-wheels 19, 19, free to turn on the l igure 3 is a similar view indicating the axle which is also at liberty to revolve in the bearings.

In this connection, it should be noted that each of the members 11 and 12 has a forwardly projecting toe 21 extending beyond the wheels. 7

A ratchet-sector member or lever 22, located between the side-frame parts, is oscillatory on a cross-shaft 23 extended through aligned holes in the spaced side-frame elements 11, 12, and has ratchet-teeth 24 along its curved edge, and, in addition, has a forwardly-extended arm 25 integral therewith.

A load-engaging seat or saddle 26 is hinged at 27 to the front end of arm 25 and a link 28 of inverted U-shape in cross-section is hinged at one end to the saddle on a crossrod 29 and similarly hinged at its opposite end to the top parts of the side-frame mem- V bers 11 and 12 on a transverse rod 31, the

function of such link being to maintain the substantial horizontality of the saddle in all of its various vertical positions.

A coiled, counterbalancing spring 32 encircles the rod 31 and has one end 33 positioned beneath and engaging the under sur face of the web of link 28, the opposite end 34 of the spring being accommodated beneath a lug 35 projecting inwardly from the frame member 12, a similar projection 36 being present on the companion side-frame element 11.

The function or purpose of spring 32 is to substantially counterbalance the weight of the interconnected parts 28, 26 and 25, so that they will be cushioned in their downward movement when the saddle is relieved of the load during the descent of such saddle.

A ha idle or lever, characterized 37 as a Whole, and composed of two, bent side-bars 38, 39 cross connected together by a bridge 41 and 'an insert 42 and additionally joined together by other pieces if necessary, is fulcrumed inside the jack-frame on inwardly projecting studs 43, 43, thus enabling the handle to be swung up and down in a vertical plane.

A lifting pawl or dog 44 is fulcrumed at 45 between ears 46 depending from and forming integral parts of the bridge 41, and a spring 47 connected to the lower part of the bridge casting at 48 and to a projection 49 on the pawl, normally holds the latter up into cooperative relation with the teeth 24 of the ratchet-sector 22.

A holding pawl or dog 51 is hinged on a cross-rod 52 carried by the side-framemembers and is pulled up toward the. teeth of the ratchet-sector by a spring 53 connected to the pawl and to one of such members.

A bell-crank cam 54, designed to overlie and coact with both of the pawls through pins 55 and 56 projecting from their sides, is fulcrumed on the main-frame at 57 ,its upstanding arm 58 being pivoted to a bent rod 5.9 slidable through a bearing member 61 extended inwardly from a slide-62 re ciprocatory on the handle-bar 39, a spring surrounding the rod being interposed between the rear face of the part6l and a cotter-pin 63 through the adjacent end of the rod.

The passage through the slide is somewhat deeper than the vertical dimension of the bar 39, permitting the slide to have a slight Vertical rocking movement on such bar, whereby to permit an internal cross-rib 64 in the slide to enter and leave a shallow recess: 65 cut in the lower edge of barx39, the slide on its under side being equipped with "a depending operating finger piece 66.

Thus such slide may occupy the advanced position shown in Figure 2 during the loadlifting operation wherein the cam is; raised above and does not contact with the holding dog pin 56, or may assume the retracted position indicated in-Figure 4, in which relation it is held by the rib 64 occupying the retaining cavity 65, and in Which position the cam is rocked down and cooperates with the pins of both pawls. V

To release the slide from the position shown in Figure 4, it is merely necessary to press down on its top above the rib 64,- thus freeing the slide from the notch and permitting the slide and rod to respond to: the

expanding action of spring 60 to return to the locations shown in Figure 2.

The appliance is equipped with means to raise the saddle to the load quickly initially or preliminarily without having recourse to the slow acting but ratchet operation.

,To this end, a curved lever or arm 67 is fulcrumed on the bridge piece 41 on a pin or rod 68 mounted-in upstanding ears or powerful step-by-step lugs 69, the lower part or tail' of the arm be ing pulled forwardly by a suitably mounted, coiled spring 71, such portion of the'armi having abent link 72 hinged thereto at 73,

the other end of the link being pivoted at 74 to a slide 75 reciprocatory on the other unnotched, handle-bar 38, such slide having no cross-rib corresponding to the part 64 of the companion slide on the other handle bar, but having, nevertheless, a linger-piece 76 by means of which it may be readily pulled in one direction, the spring 71 sliding such member in the opposite direction when permitted to do so. 7

The response of the arm to the action of the spring is limited by a lug 77- on the side of the arm which is designed to engage one of the bearing brackets or standards 69, as 1llustrated in Figures 2 and 4.

' In operation, the jack is used substantially as follows:

Assuming that the saddle or seat 26 is in its lowermost position under the load to be lifted, such as the axle of an automobile, the operator, by grasping the handle-7 6, pulls the slide 75 towards him, therebyrocking the arm 6.7 downwardly and during such descent of the latter it engages the underlying ratchet-sector member and rocks it around its pivotal support 23 until the saddle contacts with or is closely adjacent to the load (see Figure 3). v 7

During this preliminary or introductory operation, the slide 62 is in the position shown in. Figure 3, so that the teeth of the ratchetsector ride over the two pawls, and such sector is sustained in its raised position by the holding pawl '51.

This quick initiatory elevation of the saddle or sea't having been effected, the load is raised by rocking the operating-handle 37 up and down, during each downward swing, the sector being rocked a definite amount by the pawl 44 and during each upward stroke, while the pawl 44 is backing up to engage a new tooth 24, the sector is being prevented from rocking down by the holding pawl in the usual way.

When it is desired to lower the load stepby-step, the workman pulls the slide 62 towards him until the rib 64 enters the notch 65 in which it is automatically retained due to the location andaction of the spring 60.

Such movement of the slide brings the cam 54' into, and maintains it in, action, so that when the handle is oscillate-d up and down, the pawls will-permit the lowering of the load intermittently in a manner well understood in the trade. r

' l 0 Such step-by-step descent is dependent friction, are pulled out automatically and the 130 arm 25 and link 28 drop of their own weight to their lowermost positions, but they are cushioned in this action by the spring 32, where-by they fall noiselessly, rather than with an objectionable thud.

The slide 62 is then released from its locking engagement with the handle-bar by forcing its rear end downwardly, as previously explained, and the parts of the mechanism are then again in their original relations.

To roll the jack easily along the floor or ground, it is merely necessary to raise the handle 37 suliiciently to cause it to bear on the under sides of the projections 35 and 36 and thereby to lift the main frame off of the ground slightly, whereupon the appliance can be readily rolled to any location owing to the weight being largely borne by the earrying-wheels.

In order that the jack may occupy but small space when not in use, it is capable of being stood up on end resting on the toes 21, 21" with the handle 37 against a wall.

Under such circumstances, there is no danger of the jack accidentally rolling out of place because the carrying-wheels are off of the floor and are hence temporarily inoperative.

Those acquainted with this art will readily understand that the invention is not limited and restricted to the precise and exact details of structure presented and that they may be modified within comparatively wide limits without departure from the heart and essence of the invention as defined by the appended claims and without the loss or sacrifice of any of its substantial benefits or advantages.

WVe claim:

2. In a jack the combination of a frame, carrying-wheels for said frame near one end only thereof, said frame extending beyond said wheels to constitute an end support for the jack when standing on end, means on said frame to raise and lower the load, a handle to operate said load raising and lowering means hinged on, and projecting beyond the opposite end of said frame, and an abutment on said frame against which said handle is adapted to bear to raise the frame from the ground, whereby the ack may be rolled on said carrying-wheels or to turn the jack up on end on said frame extension.

2. In a jack, the combination of a frame,

- carrying-wheels for said frame near one end only thereof, means on said frame to raise and lower the load, a handle to operate said load raising and lowering means hinged on, and projecting eyond the opposite end of said frame, and an abutment on said frame against which said handle is adapted to bear to raise the end of the frame unequipped with carrying-wheels from the ground, whereby to permit the jack to be rolled on said carrying-wheels.

3. In a jack, the combination of a frame, a load lifting and lowering lever fulcrumed on said frame, an operating-handle rockingly mounted on said frame, actuating means between said handle and lever whereby oscillation of the former raises or lowers the latter, a rock-arm having an end arranged to engage said lever and raise the latter initially quickly to load-engaging position, and means mounted on said operating-handle to actuate said rock-arm.

4. In a jack, the combination of a frame, a load lifting and lowering lever fulcrumed on said frame, an operating-handle rockingly mounted on said frame, actuating means between said handle and lever whereby oscillation of the former raises or lowers the latter, a rock-arm fulcrumed on said operatinghandle having an end arranged to engage said lever and raise the latter initially quickly to load-engaging position, and means mounted on said operating-handle to actuate said rock-arm.

5. In a jack, the combination of a frame, a load lifting and lowering lever fulcrumed on said frame, an operating-handle rockingly mounted on said frame, means permitting said operating-handle to raise and lower the load on sald lever step-by-step including a ratchet sector fulcrumed on said frame, a

rock-arm having an end arranged to engage said ratchet sector and raise the latter initially quickly to load-engaging position, and means mounted on said operating-handle to actuate said rock-arm.

6. In a jack, the combination of a frame, load lifting and lowering means on said frame including a pawl and ratchet mechamsm and a notched operating-handle therefor, a slide on said handle having a rib adapted to enter said handle notch, and a yieldlng pawl-controlling means connecting said slide and pawl mechanism and acting to hold said rib in said notch until manually released therefrom.

7. In a jack, the combination of a frame, means on said frame to engage a load, operatmg means to raise said engaging means step by step to lift the load or quickly uninterruptedly to initially approach the load and to lower said engaging means and permitting the latter to descend to its lowermost position automatically upon cessation of the load thereon during the load lowering operation, and means nearly counterbalancing said load-engaging means and associated movable parts to facilitate said initial elevation of said load-engaging means and to absorb the shock of their descent upon termination of the load.

8. In a jack, the combination of a frame, means on said frame to engage a load, operating means to raise said engaging means step-by-step to lift the load or quickly uninterruptedly to initially approach the load and to lower said engaging-means and permitting the latter to descend to its lowermost position automatically upon cessation of the load thereon during the load-lowering operation, and spring means nearly counterbalancing said load-engaging means and associated movable parts to facilitate said initial elevation of said load-engaging means and to absorb the shock of their descent upon termination of the load.

In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands.

GAILARD E. WEAVER. ALBERT VETTEL. 

